


the ones the world left behind

by officialcoolkid69



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Body Horror, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Horror, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Psychological Horror, Shotacon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:16:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27880617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/officialcoolkid69/pseuds/officialcoolkid69
Summary: Some angsty horror-drama SWSH oneshots.Lots of triggers ahead, so proceed with caution.There will be 10 chapters in total, each focusing on a different character.Thanks for reading!
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Rose | Chairman Rose, Dande | Leon/Hop, Hop/Masaru | Victor, Rose | Chairman Rose/Shakuya | Peonia
Comments: 21
Kudos: 52





	1. nasty plot

Why did they idolize her so much? Marnie would never understand. She hated the attention, she hated the spotlight, and she hated how she felt perpetually embarrassed by her brother and his bunch of mindless groupies. She pushed through though, regardless, and made it to the finals. And she didn't win. But the praise and idolization didn't end. She didn't know how to tell them how much she wished they'd stop. How much she wished they'd all drop dead. How much she wished *she'd* drop dead.  
Was that a solution? Could she just disappear somehow and never be bothered by anyone again? The more she thought about it, the better it sounded. So she came to the conclusion that she should run away.

Marnie started packing her busted black suitcase, covered in stickers from punk bands and tourist shops. She shoved her favorite clothes into it, and the 20 dollars she'd gotten in a card for her birthday. It was around midnight when she crept out the back door, lugging the heavy suitcase behind her. She would have brought along her backpack, but it was much too small to fit everything she needed to bring. 

She had only been outside for a couple of hours before she got cold feet and returned home. Running away would never be permanent, anyway. She needed an escape that wasn't temporary. Then again, she could deal with fans, right? She didn't need to do anything drastic, she wasn't a wimp. But it really was too much to bear. She had always been shy, and it was always so obnoxious...

That was when she got what was possibly the worst idea she had ever had. If she was dead, she wouldn't have to deal with anyone ever again. She could just run into the road, and play it all off as an accident.  
No, that was too reckless and irresponsible. The driver could swerve and be injured. She didn't want to hurt anyone else. And then she remembered her brother- he'd be heartbroken if she died. It would ruin his life, wouldn't it?

Almost like he ruined hers, pushing all that responsibility and admiration on her. 

She decided she'd write a note before she did anything. To clear things up, to tell Piers what had driven her to this decision. She'd use her best handwriting, make sure her grammar was correct. Putting a pen to a notepad, she wrote out what she thought he needed to hear:

"I know this will probably break your heart, and I know you'll blame yourself. I'm sorry for causing you grief, but I couldn't handle it anymore. Not everyone wants to be an idol, and not everyone likes the spotlight. And this was the only way I could escape it. But don't feel bad about yourself. It's more my fault than yours. I didn't have any way to cope. So I'm sorry, and goodbye."

She put the pen down as she reached for the box cutter on her nightstand.


	2. incinerate

The news of Marnie's suicide shocked the entire region. It was a horrible thing, someone so young ending their life without giving themselves a chance. She didn't even achieve her intended goal. She was still being idolized after her death, possibly even more so.   
And Gloria was jealous.  
Gloria had always been the competitive type, and she'd always been somewhat of an attention seeker. But now that her rival had the attention of the entire Galar region, she was burning with envy.   
She knew it was wrong, she knew it was horrible to be jealous of her friend who had taken her own life. But she couldn't help it. What could she do to get that much attention?

Gloria would never consider hurting herself, and besides, she wouldn't want to be considered a copycat. Would she consider hurting someone else? Maybe. But of course, she didn’t want to be considered a bad person, either. She’d much rather be known for something good.   
What if she saved someone? That’s a good thing, isn’t it? But it seemed so unlikely that she’d come across someone who needed saving. Suddenly, it hit her. What if she made her own danger?

\--

“Hey Vic, do you wanna come play ball with me?” Gloria asked, steeling herself for what she planned to do.   
Victor responded quickly, excited to play with his sister who almost never asked him to.   
They played for a few minutes, until Gloria decided it was a good time to put her plan into action. She thought it through one more time. She wasn’t really going to hurt Victor, and in the end, she’d be saving him, wouldn’t she?   
Gloria purposefully hit the ball a bit too far, watching it bounce into the road. She let Victor chase it, waiting until the car that was coming up the road was mere feet in front of him. Running into the road, she pushed him out of the way just in time. It worked. Her plan had worked. She was going to be a hero. And she was going to be even more famous than Marnie.

It didn’t occur to her that she was not yet out of the road. Distracted by the idea of fame, she barely noticed as the car ran her over. 

Maybe she’d get famous this way too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, thank you guys so much for reading! It makes me really happy that some people actually want to read my edgy garbage <3 <3
> 
> Also, like, I love talking to people so please feel free to comment and give feedback. I'm always more than willing to do collabs so hit me up if you want a writing buddy :)


	3. whirlpool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I haven't updated in a while, mostly because I'm in the middle of a cross-country move. Sorry for taking so long, but here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy.   
> Also, I should mention: all of the chapters are loosely connected, and in chronological order.   
> Thanks so much for reading, feel free to comment or leave constructive criticism.

Victor stood there, frozen with shock and fear as he watched his only sibling meet her end. Tears ran down his face, the whole thing unfolding in slow motion. He wanted to cry out, or run somewhere and get help, but he couldn't. He couldn't pry his eyes away from the tragedy on the small country road. Gloria saved him. She sacrificed herself for him. It could have been him, lying in the street, crushed and mangled to the point of being unrecognizable.   
Before he knew it, bile was rising in his throat, and he threw up. Finally coming to his senses, he ran into his house, his face stained with tears and vomit. His mother, hearing him cry out, assumed he had scraped his knee, or something of the sort. Her face contorted in horror as Victor recounted the tale of what happened a mere five minutes ago.   
It was all his fault. He knew better than to run into the road like that. And now Gloria was gone, and it was all his fault, and he'd always have to live with that. With the image of Gloria's gruesome remains etched into his mind.   
His mother had made the decision to enroll him in therapy. His psychiatrist talked to his mum, diagnosing him with big words he had never heard before and prescribing him big pills that were hard to swallow. He hated therapy, he didn't tell them anything and ignored the advice and coping mechanisms the psychiatrist tried to give him. Instead of talking to a licensed professional, Victor began to confide in his friend.   
He told Hop everything, his fears, his regrets, and the guilt that was eating him alive. All Hop could offer in return was a sad sort of smile and the reassurance that everything was going to be okay in the end. Both of them knew that that wasn't entirely true. Hop wanted to talk to Victor like Victor talked to him, telling each other the deepest, darkest secrets that they've never told anyone else. But Hop wasn't sure it would be a good idea to talk about what was going on just yet. Victor already had so much to deal with, and Hop didn't want him to get worried...  
Days passed by, and Victor became more and more withdrawn. He didn't want to play, he didn't want to battle, and he stopped going to school. The days turned into weeks, and Hop was starting to regret not telling Victor the secret that was tearing him apart. What if he never saw Victor again? He could never tell anyone else. Victor was the only person he really trusted. Maybe he would've told his brother, if his brother wasn't the problem.   
He decided to stop by Victor's house, just to make sure he was okay. Victor's mum answered the door and told Hop that Victor didn't really want to see friends. Victor stayed in bed almost all day, and lost his appetite. He cried himself to sleep at night and never came out of his room. He didn't take the pills he had been prescribed, even though he knew it would probably make him feel better. But it made him feel like he was crazy. He didn't want to feel like he belonged in an asylum.  
As Hop thought about the fact that Victor probably wouldn't be better for a long time, he decided he should just go home and tell his mum about it. But he was so scared she'd be mad...  
Then again, it didn't really matter. What mattered was that he needed to tell someone, and he needed to get Leon to stop. 

And in the grand scheme of things, Victor couldn't really do much to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading this and supporting me! Comments and kudos are always appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed. I'll be updating again fairly soon, so please stay tuned if you enjoy this garbage. :)


	4. chip away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is, the most explicit chapter so far. Huge warning for strong language, sexual abuse, and sibling incest. If these topics make you uncomfortable, I'd suggest not reading this.   
> This chapter actually ended up being a lot different than I originally planned, but I think this version is better.

Lately, Hop found himself dreading going home after school, especially on days when he knew his mother wasn't home. It wasn't that he was scared to be alone- quite the opposite, actually. He was scared to be with Leon, the big brother who he had once looked up to and admired to the point of worship.   
It was only recently that everything between them changed. It started with Leon asking Hop strange, often very personal questions. Did he have a girlfriend? Had he ever had a crush on a boy? Had he had his first kiss yet? Did he know about sex?   
Hop brushed it all off as Leon trying to make small talk, being curious about his little brother's life and wanting to give advice. Leon was becoming more affectionate with Hop, often calling him pet names and touching him at every opportunity. Hop convinced himself it was normal, that these were normal things brothers did with each other. Of course, Leon hadn't done anything inherently bad to him.   
That all changed on the night after Hop had gotten his second gym badge. Leon took Hop to a restaurant, just the two of them, to commemorate the supposedly momentous occasion of him earning yet another badge. Hop didn't really know why, but the whole time they were there, something felt off. The car ride home was just as awkward. Hop was silent almost the whole time, a stark contrast from his usual endless chatter. As soon as they got home, Leon started acting weird again.   
"I want to show you something."  
It was a simple phrase, and really, there was nothing scary about it. So why was Hop so nervous? Looking back on it all, maybe he should have trusted his gut feeling. Leon grabbed him by the hand and took him to the bathroom. As soon as they got there, Leon kissed him on the mouth without any warning. Hop quickly pulled away, confused.   
"What the- why did you do that?" Hop was truly concerned now. Brothers don't kiss each other like that. That's gross.   
"Because I love you, Hop."  
"I- I love you, too, but- not like that... We're brothers. Brothers don't do that."  
Leon didn't seem to care.   
"Just let me show you. I want you to do something for me."  
Hop didn't have a chance to respond before Leon started unzipping his pants.   
"No. No, no, no, this is weird, please don't-" Hop's scared reply only made Leon chuckle.   
"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'd never do that. I just need you to help me."  
Hop's head was spinning. How could his brother, his role model, his favorite person in the entire world, do something this weird and scary? Maybe it was a misunderstanding. Maybe Hop just had a dirty mind.   
Leon had taken off his boxers, and Hop was doing everything he could to avoid staring at his brother's cock. He felt like throwing up. This was wrong.   
"Hop, I don't mean to scare you, it's just- you're so hot. You drive me crazy. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this with you."  
Hop was disgusted. How many seemingly innocent hugs they had shared were something more to Leon? Was it always like this? Was there ever a time when everything between them was truly innocent?  
"Can you... can you suck on it for me, baby?" Leon put a hand on Hop's head, petting his hair.   
Hop wanted to hit Leon, to run away and call his mum and tell her what Leon was trying to do. But he couldn't. He didn't want his big brother to get in trouble. So he obeyed. 

It had only been a few weeks since the first "incident", but Leon's attitude had changed completely. Whenever they were alone, Leon would force Hop to do things he didn't want to do. But Hop never told. He knew that if he did, his big brother would get taken away. And even though he hated it when Leon touched him all over and made him do things he didn't understand, he was convinced he would miss him. He was convinced it was better this way.  
But as time passed, he began to consider telling someone. Leon hit and insulted him when he refused to do what he said. He was terrified of his own brother, scared to go to his own home. If he told his mum, she might be mad at him, too. He thought about telling Victor, but Victor wasn't exactly stable at the moment.   
Hop had come to the conclusion that no one would ever understand.  
But, maybe, he knew someone who would understand all too well.


	5. play rough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I've finally decided to update again. This chapter deals with similar topics as the last one, so be careful. Huge warning for strong language, pedophilia and direct references to rape, and depictions of violence and bullying.

According to every kid his age, Bede was the spoiled school bully with anger issues. According to Chairman Rose, he was a perfect angel. He didn't like either of the labels, but it wasn't like he could change other people's opinions. They just didn't get it.   
He didn't really know why he was angry most of the time. He just was. And he took it out on whoever was nearby. He had friends, but probably only because they were scared of him and wanted to get on his good side. Like Avery. In second grade, he smashed Avery's glasses and slammed him into a locker. Avery was his best friend. And Marnie... In fourth grade, he stuck his gum in her hair so she had to shave it just before picture day. Such a shame that she wasn't around anymore. He was even considering apologizing.   
He hated apologizing, he hated school, and he hated his teachers. But really, he didn't like being at home any more than he liked being at school. Sure, he got what he wanted most of the time. But there were also things he really, really didn't want. 

\--

After an agonizingly long bus ride, the Chairman had called Bede into his office. Bede felt sick, but tried not to show it. No sooner had he entered the room had Rose placed a hand on his shoulder. Bede didn't say anything. He knew what was going to happen.   
"Such a pretty little boy..."  
Bede forced a smile, but he felt like rolling his eyes and gagging. He didn't like anything about this. The praise, the touches, it all felt gross and wrong. Despite previously working so hard to please him, Bede had began to resent the Chairman.   
He was still in his school uniform, and silently pleading that Rose wouldn't make him take it off. But Rose was already beginning to pull off his uniform jacket. Bede pushed Rose's hand away and tugged his jacket back up.   
"I don't want to do that." He said under his breath, just loud enough for the Chairman to hear.   
"But I do. And that's what matters." Rose ignored his protests as he pulled him into an embrace. Bede covered his face, trying to tune everything out. He felt even more nauseous as he began to realize that he really didn't have a choice.   
So, like every other time, he tried to relax, and began to let Rose do whatever he wanted. Still not quite able to understand the ways in which Rose was slowly destroying his little body, he assumed it would all be okay in the end, and that Rose wasn't going to hurt him.   
But it did hurt. Despite the Chairman's promises that it would feel good, nothing about it was enjoyable.   
He clenched his fists and closed his eyes as tight as he could. Even still, he couldn't help but retaliate as Rose touched him yet again. Bede hit Rose as hard as he could. He used the brief time that Rose was caught off guard to move to the other side of the room.   
"I said no!" He was crying now, anticipating the pain and the horrible, filthy things that Rose had to say.  
"You don't get to say no. Stop acting like this. You're usually so sweet and obedient..."  
"I'll hit you again." Bede threatened, but even he realized that it didn't sound very threatening. Rose laughed.   
"You'll do nothing of the sort. If you know what's good for you, you'll listen to me and stop acting like a brat." As the Chairman got closer, Bede knew that nothing he could do would get him to stop. But he tried his best anyway.  
"No! You listen to me! I don't like it! I hate it! Why don't you understand?!" Bede was screaming at the top of his lungs.   
"Just shut the fuck up and do what I say. It doesn't matter if you like it or not. What's gotten into you?"  
Rose seemed to realize that his voice sounded harsh, and adjusted it accordingly.  
"You- you know I hate to yell at you, sweetie, but sometimes you just need to... you just need to trust me, okay? I know what's best for you, angel."  
Bede kicked and screamed as the Chairman tried to put his arms around him again.   
As he tried his best to get away, he wondered if anyone would ever understand.


	6. smart strike

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this work made it to 1000 hits. I didn't expect that, but I'm glad other people like my stuff.  
> This chapter is going to be pretty dark, and probably the most disturbing chapter in this book.  
> Warnings for attempted rape, incest, pedophilia, violence, and some gore.

It wasn't that Nia didn't like her father, but... well, he could be a little much. So she was grateful to have a break from his overwhelming personality when he told her that he was going on a trip for a possible business opportunity- he'd been unemployed since he lost his champion status.  
She was excited when she learned that she'd be staying with her uncle- a well-respected, rich, and important man. She'd only met him a few times before, but he seemed nice enough.  
The train ride to Wyndon was long and boring. She was terrified of heights, so there was no way she'd take a flying taxi. Nia brought a book along, but she finished it long before she arrived at the city. She spent most of her time staring out the window. Even after she got off the train, it was a long taxi ride (the regular kind, of course) to Rose's luxury home.  
Upon arrival, she was greeted by an only vaguely familiar man in a gray suit. It had been so long, she barely recognized her own uncle. Walking through the high-quality sitting room full of high-quality furniture, her eyes met with an unhappy looking boy having a heated phone conversation with whom Nia could assume was a teenage girl. He flashed her a look that was half-annoyed-half-sympathetic, although Nia had to admit that the look on her face wasn't exactly friendly, either. She was slightly jealous, he lived in such a nice place, ten times better than her own. Lucky.  
Little did she know, in about two minutes, those feelings would disappear to make way for something worse.  
She wasn't bothered when Rose put a hand on her shoulder. She wasn't bothered when he led her to her temporary room, standing a bit too close. She wasn't bothered when he started asking her about her life. She was bothered, however, when he put his hand on her thigh.  
"You know, that skirt looks good on you."  
Nia managed a flustered "thank you," but grew increasingly concerned as he moved his hand farther up.  
"How old are you again? Thirteen? You look older."  
Despite her obvious discomfort, he continued to slip his hand up her skirt. He brought his other hand up to her cheek. She didn't say anything.  
"That's a compliment. Most girls aren't as developed by thirteen, but you're already so hot."  
Nia could barely comprehend what was happening, but she knew it wasn't right. That's not how adults should talk to kids. She was frozen in place.  
"Now, don't tell your father about this."  
Nia felt herself stop breathing as Rose forcefully pressed his lips against hers. This was not supposed to happen.  
To stunned to push away, she held her breath until Rose broke the kiss.  
"What- what the HELL!?" Nia had never said a curse word out loud before, even one as tame as 'hell'.  
Rose ignored her as he looked her up and down. Her mind was screaming at her to run, but her legs would not move. She wanted to go back home, but obviously that wasn't an option.  
"Why don't you get undressed? I want to get a better look at you."  
The tone in his voice was vile. Nia had never been so disgusted in her life.  
"Oh my god. You're SICK! Do you really think I'm just going to do whatever you want!?"  
"As a matter of fact, I do. That is, if you don't want to get hurt."  
"You're absolutely disgusting. Just wait till I tell my dad abou-"  
"You'll do no such thing. Besides, who would they believe? A brat like you or the most important figure in Galarian politics?"  
His voice was both angry and arrogant. She'd rather die than stay in that room with him any longer.  
Just as she was about to try to run, she felt herself be slammed against a wall.  
"It's not that difficult. Just listen to me and you'll be fine."  
She didn't answer, just continued struggling. She began to wonder what he was going to do if she didn't cooperate. But she couldn't bring herself to do such an indecent thing with her own uncle. It was disgusting- wrong in many ways. She wasn't stupid, and she was determined not to be taken advantage of. She scanned the room for escape routes and possible weapons.  
She pretended to comply, hoping to get Rose to let his guard down. The second he seemed to relax, she bolted across the room to grab the lightweight office chair in the corner. Using all the strength she could manifest in her fragile body, she hit Rose over the head with it. He stumbled, but it still wasn't enough to knock him over, so she did it again and again until there was blood clearly running down his forehead. She soon realized that the light chair alone wasn't going to be enough to ensure her safety, so she rummaged through the desk in the room while he attempted to catch his breath.  
Wielding a mechanical pencil, she approached the chairman.  
Rose looked up, thinking she had perhaps given up and accepted her fate. Nia plunged the pencil into his eye without a second thought.  
Upon hearing a piercing scream, the boy in the sitting room smirked. It seems the girl visiting had done something right. Gripping his Rotom phone, he dialed his best friend's number once again.  
Riding a wave of adrenaline, Nia jammed the mechanical pencil into the man's eye socket another dozen or so times, as far as it could go until he stopped moving. She felt her phone in her pocket- she considered calling the police, but she was afraid she'd end up the one in trouble. She dialed her father's number, still covered in her uncle's blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, I'm disgusting. I'm planning on making a more lighthearted fic though, so check it out once I post it.  
> Thanks for all your support.


	7. sludge wave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been kind of excited to write this chapter, because I was able to use a lot of vivid imagery. I'm really happy so many people have seen my writing, and I'm still working on a draft for something new. Thanks so much to everyone reading this.   
> Warning for drug use, frightening imagery, and themes of depression. There's also some strong language in this chapter, but not too much.

Klara tried to listen to what her friend was saying, but she was so lightheaded that nothing felt real. She felt like she was in a dream. At least the hallucinations had worn off.  
She made an excuse to get off the phone, promising to call him back. Sitting on her messy sofa, she turned on the TV and searched for some cartoons, or maybe one of those shitty reality TV shows. She was never a fan of sports or soap operas.  
What time was it, anyway? It must have been around 7:00 PM. Her head was killing her.   
Without locking her door or turning the TV off, she left the house. She wanted to get a slushy at the convenience store. A blue one. That way, if she ended up puking, it'd look cool.   
It wasn't long until she got a brain freeze, which, honestly, was less painful than the headache she had had all day. It was a dull pain, but agonizing. And gradually, it became unbearable. 

Ergot is a fungal disease affecting grains such as rye and wheat. The fungus itself appears as a long, black, horn-like structure growing on rye and its relatives. In humans, ergot can cause paranoia and hallucinations as well as spasms and cardiovascular issues. Today, ergot is often used to make lysergic acid diethylamide, which has many of the same effects. This substance is psychologically addictive. 

Klara had only used it a few times. She didn't know why each time, despite the bizarre, often frightening effects, she did more. She convinced herself she wasn't doing anything bad, she wasn't going to become dependent like in the horror stories you read on the internet. But it seemed to become more and more necessary that she indulge herself in a living hell.  
Her heart was racing. The world seemed like it was melting. Why did she enjoy this? She wasn't sure. She felt as if some sort of creature was beneath her skin, moving and making her feel sick. The horrible after effects only made her want to do more, as it was a surefire way to get some relief.   
Lately, she had been spending most of her time inside. She hadn't eaten anything but Oreo cookies in about a week, and it'd been even longer since she last did her laundry. It wasn't a healthy lifestyle, she knew that, but it was an effective coping mechanism. After rage quitting her video game, she'd left the controller on the floor where she'd stepped on it several times.   
Recently, Klara felt like her life wasn't going anywhere. She was lazy, disorganized, and a quitter. All of the goals she had ever had, she ended up giving up on. Really, what was the point? If she wasn't ever going to do anything worthwhile, it didn't really matter if she spent all her time indoors, eating junk food, getting high, and watching too much reality TV. Fuck, she even gave up on her stupid video games.   
If only she could be more like Avery. He was motivated, intelligent, and had a promising future. But then again, he was lame. He'd never been to a party aside from his middle school dance. Of course, that didn't really count.  
But at least he wasn't a failure. There were so many people she could compare herself to, and honestly, it wasn't worth the mental trouble. She knew she'd never be as good as anyone else she knew.   
But then again, 2 of her friends were no longer alive. Does that make her more successful than them? That was a horrible way to think. They deserve all the respect in the world. Yep, she was definitely going to hell.   
Some people would consider her cool. She wore nice clothes, went to parties, had friends, and knew how to play guitar. She wondered where she went wrong in life, what mistake caused her ultimate downfall.   
If only she wasn't such a failure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it for now. I choked on a french fry today and my throat still hurts.


	8. miracle eye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People really seem to like it, so I'll do my best to finish publishing the rest of the chapters.   
> Warning for bullying, past child abuse/neglect, and themes of depression.

If only he wasn't such a failure. 

Avery sat at his desk, once again staying up past a reasonable hour. He'd been studying since seven, determined not to fail his statistics test, although he didn't know who he was trying to impress.   
His only memories of his parents were foggy, and they were the ones who decided it first. Avery was a failure.   
So, even though the chances of him ever seeing them again were low (he really had been paying attention in statistics), he tried his best to become something great. Most of his time was either spent studying or training his Pokemon. He was determined to be successful. He never had time for anything fun, no parties, no video games, no days off to just relax. He wished he could be more like Klara. She was fun, popular, and seemed so carefree. He wanted to have as many friends as she had, as many opportunities to meet cool people.   
Back in elementary school, Avery had never had many friends, but it wasn't a big deal. But now that he was close to graduating high school, it was a big deal. What a loser.   
It was all because he couldn't teleport. Or read minds. Or do any of the other silly magic tricks that his family seemed to think were so important. What a stupid reason to ignore your child. If only he was as good as any one of his siblings. But, since the only thing he could do was make little things float, it was obvious that he never would be.   
It must have been around three in the morning, and Avery had finally given up on the stupidly thorough 20-page study guide. It wasn't that he couldn't do it, but he was too tired to think straight any longer.   
He tried to go to bed, but his mind kept going back to the fact that he was one of the least successful people he knew, despite all his efforts. It seemed like everyone else had so easily become a star so young. Even Victor- who couldn't be more than 12 years old- was one of the most promising Pokemon trainers in the region. Everyone was sure that Victor would be champion. And Marnie- if she was still around, surely she'd be Galar's biggest musical sensation. That ghost type gym leader- Allister, was it? He was already one of the best trainers in Galar, and he was still in elementary school. And then there was Bede, who did everything imaginable to make it big- sports, acting, Pokemon battling, pageants, dance, art, writing- he didn't really care how it happened, but he was convinced that one day he'd be a celebrity.   
Was he really less impressive than kids who could barely tie their own shoe laces? It was depressing to think about.   
Getting out of bed, Avery rummaged through the cabinet under the sink, looking for the little plastic bottle containing melatonin. Even if it meant he'd wake up late, he needed some sleep. He didn't really want to go to school the next day, because even though he was pretty confident he'd do alright on the test, there were always horrible people who'd make him feel bad for the most trivial things.   
It seemed like there wasn't really an escape from the vicious circle of high school hell and bizarre tragedies.   
God, what was he going to do with his life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I've got two more to go. Since this project will be finished soon, if anyone has any suggestions or wants to collab, I'll probably say yes.   
> I write too much. 
> 
> I wonder if you can guess whose chapter I'm writing next.


	9. no retreat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's chapter nine. One more to go, so stay tuned.  
> This chapter references some issues such as financial struggles, death, and dysfunctional family relationships. Proceed with caution if any of that triggers you.

Bea, exhausted from yet another day of rigorous training at the gym, flopped onto her unmade bed and screamed into her pillow. She was good at hiding her emotions in public, but she still had to let them out once in a while.  
It wasn’t that she didn’t like training, she was just so busy lately.  
“Oh, yeah.” She mumbled to herself “Dinner.”  
It hadn’t been that long since her parents had passed away, leaving an under-qualified Bea in charge of her younger brother. The shock had barely worn off.  
She rummaged through the pantry, looking for something she could make. Pulling out a can of soup, (only expired by two days!), she began hunting for the opener. And of course, it broke only a quarter of the way through the job. Bea attempted to pry the can the rest of the way open with her fingers, but it was no use. She cursed under her breath as she cut herself on the can’s jagged edge. “Well, fine.” Frustrated, she threw the can into the trash can.  
“PB&J it is.”  
Irate and exhausted, she served the makeshift dinner. Allister was not impressed.  
“Bea, peanut butter sandwiches aren’t dinner.”  
“Says who?” Bea tried her best to keep her voice calm around her little brother.  
“Says me.” Allister unenthusiastically tore his sandwich into even smaller pieces. “I hate this kind of jelly. It’s yucky.”  
Bea rolled her eyes and sighed. “Eat it anyway.”  
“Can’t we go to McDonald’s instead?”  
Not willing to pick a fight, Bea gave in. “Sure. Fine. Whatever. Get in the car.”  
Bea didn’t really have that much money at the moment. Being a gym leader didn’t pay well, and she couldn’t balance another job with college, looking after Allister, and her duties at the gym.  
“I want a happy meal. Make sure they don’t forget the toy.”  
Bea sighed again. “Why don’t you order by yourself then?”  
“N-no way!” Allister seemed shocked she would even think such a thing. “The people are scary…”  
He had already hid his face under his mask, although Bea didn’t know how he expected to eat in the restaurant with it on.  
“How about we just go in the drive thru?” Bea suggested.  
“O-okay. Make sure they don’t forget my toy.”  
“I won’t.” Bea rolled her eyes again, making sure Allister didn’t see. 

Dinner wasn’t a particularly enjoyable experience. The employee got their order wrong, but at least they didn’t forget Allister’s toy.  
He went to sleep shortly after that. Bea didn’t. She stayed up, staring at the holes she punched in her wall and never bothered to repair. It wasn’t like she could afford it, anyway. 

Tomorrow would be another great day, wouldn’t it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'd be more than happy to do any suggestions you might have. Thanks for reading.


	10. gunk shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the last chapter. I hope you enjoy.  
> Warning for strong language and themes of sexism and misogyny, as well as mild violent themes. 
> 
> Also, a quick note: this particular chapter takes place a bit earlier in the overarching story than the last few. You'll figure it out. This chapter is also quite short, as it serves as more of an epilogue, similar to the short first chapter.

Shit.   
Yet again, someone's taken credit for her idea. It doesn't matter what she does, Oleana has never been given credit for her own work. The Dynamax band was her own fucking invention, but no one seems to know her name.   
No matter what it is, it's never "Oleana's invention", it's "Macro Cosmos' Invention". She's nothing but a lowly secretary. Her lousy, bare-minimum salary will never compensate for the mental labor she goes through. She's on her third cup of coffee, and she's trying not to make a scene. If only someone cared enough to talk to her, she might not have been so on edge.  
Her work life generally consisted of incessant mansplaining, senseless gossip, and borderline harassment. She was smarter than most of her coworkers, but they treated her like dirt.   
Many times she felt like having a public outburst, but being called a "Karen" would only worsen her mood. God, she really needed to be in therapy. If only her flimsy, loophole-ridden insurance would cover it.   
Drowning her problems in paperwork and chic outfits was definitely not a permanent solution.   
Sitting at her desk, she tried to resist the urge to jam her finely manicured finger into the pencil sharpener. Of course, she wouldn't actually do it, but the temptation was painful enough. But half the time, sitting at her desk, she wanted to die. She wanted to bang her head on the desk until she bled out of her ears. She wanted to push over the stupid office dividers and watch them collapse in a domino effect on her stupid coworkers.   
She wanted to drink some coffee that didn't taste like shit.   
Ugh. She watched the clock impatiently as she waited for the work day to be over. No matter what, she wasn't checking her email this weekend. She had decided that it was actually time to relax for once. She wasn't supposed to work on weekends anyway, but it seemed like that's what she always ended up doing. She couldn't take it anymore, so she closed the report she was supposed to be writing. She'd make up some lame excuse later.   
She had a nice car. Despite putting on the most positive music she could think of, she couldn't help but cry on the way home. Crying to happy music is its own kind of messed up.   
Instead of going straight home, she thought she'd go on a bit of a drive. Maybe it would help her calm down. It didn't.  
As the senseless tears clouded her vision, she didn't notice the little girl standing in the middle of the dirt road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I guess I finished the book. I'm going to be working on my more lighthearted fic as well as a new one shot that I've had the concept for for a while.   
> Please let me know if you have any other suggestions. Again, I'm so happy that people actually read my stuff, I really appreciate all the kind comments and support.


End file.
